Insulated wire spool



April 14, 1959 v R. ATwooD ETAL 2,881,987

, INSULATED WIRE SPOOL.

Fi led March 29. 1954 IN VEN TOR. v

R 0 Alta 6/ BY Ga as 8L 14175104114 United fltates Patent INSULATED WIRE SPOOL Rawson Atwood, Rumson, and Charles C. LAllemand, Murray Hill, N.J., assignors to Decorated Metal Mfg. Co., Inc., Milltown, N.J., a corporation of New York Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,298

1 Claim. (Cl. 242118.61)

This invention relates to improvements in spools and spool flange constructions.

The spool of the invention is intended primarily for such uses as the shipment and marketing of insulated conductors such as lamp cord. Spools carrying such cord in various materials and colors are supplied to hardware stores and other retail outlets and the cord is unreeled and cut off in lengths as required by the customer. The spools are supplied to the manufacturer of the insulated condutcors unassembled, to save freight, and are assembled and filled with cord by the manufacturer. The general object of the invention is to provide an improved spool and flange assembly of this type.

With this and other objects which will appear in the following full description in mind, the invention consists in the features of the improved spool which will now first be fully described in the accompanying drawing and then be more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a flat view of a spool flange element, prior to assembly with the barrel to form the spool;

Fig. 2 is a central axial section of the flange element of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar respectively to Figs. 1 and 2, but showing an end plug element used for fixing the flange element to the barrel;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in central axial section and partly in elevation showing the manner of assembly of the flange element and plug with a barrel; and

Fig. 6 is a view parfly in elevation and partly in central axial section of a completed spool.

The spool as indicated in Fig. 6 comprises a barrel 1, and flange 2 and end plug 3 fastened together as shown. Only one end of the spool is shown, it being understood that the barrel may be of any length and that it will ordinarily, but not necessarily, have a similar flange structure at its other end.

The barrel 1 conveniently takes the form of a piece of cheap commercially available pasteboard or similar tubing. Its outer surface may be plastic impregnated or not, depending on requirements. While the spool may be assembled by the spool manufacturer, it will he more normal practice to ship the end flange elements 2 and 3, permitting the customer to afl'lx them to lengths of pastehoard tubing purchased locally. The freight saving achieved in this manner, as well as other conveniences, will be considerable.

The end elements 2 and 3 are formed by stamping, pressing and drawing operations out of sheet metal, and typically out of sheet steel or socalled tin plate. The flange in general may be given any desired configuration for pur- 2,881,987! Patented Apr. 14, 1959 poses of utility or appearance. In the form shown the flange in general is flat as indicated at 21 and has an upturned rim 22 serving to stiffen it and also to provide a rounded edge for its inner face which is presented to the material wound on the spool. Inwardly of the annular flat portion 21, the flange is bent up or out into a nearly cylindrical wall 23 and then over to form a second but narrow annular flat portion 24 and then finally downwardly or inwardly as at 25 so as to be nearly cylindrical. Along the inner edge of the inwardly extending part 25 of the flange are formed a number of tongues or prongs 26, which are bent slightly radially inward and terminate in angular tips or hooks 27, which may be at about to the prong 26 in general. In assembling the spool the cardboard tube 1 which forms a barrel is jammed firmly into the space between walls 23 and 25 and against the fit 24 of the groove formed between those walls, and the prongs 26 are forced into conformity with the cylindrical inner surface of the tube, driving their hooked ends 27 into the wall material of the tube and firmly holding the flange thereon against both separation and rotation. This driving operation is achieved by means of the end plug element 3. This is generally cylindrical as at 31 and is bent as at 32 and 33 to form an open groove for accommodating the portion 23-25 of the end flange and so as also to stiffen and rigidify the structure of the end plug. The inner end of the plug 3 comprises an annular section which extends radially inward and which is pierced centrally as at 34 to form an opening for a spindle, chuck or mandrel. The end plug is generally cup-shaped and has ample strength to accomplish the driving operation in bringing the parts from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6.

For convenience of shipment and assembly the plug element 3 may be driven part way into the flange element 2, as indicated in Fig. 5, and these two elements will then be held together as a single unit for convenience of handling and assembly. As will be apparent, the assembly operation is of an extremely simplified character and requires no more than a simple arbor press.

What is claimed is:

A spool end assembly for tubular barrels, comprising a unitary end flange element having an integral groove for receiving a tubular barrel end, a central aperture, an integral inwardly extending substantially cylindrical inner rim surrounding said aperture and forming an inner wall of the groove and a plurality of prongs integral with the inner rim and extending radially and axially inward from the inner edge of the said inner rim, and an end plug fitting in the said aperture in position to force the said prongs radially outwardly upon driving of the plug into the flange element, for biting into the inner wall of a barrel and aflixing the flange element thereto, the said end plug having a peripheral groove fitting over the part of the end flange element in which the groove therein is formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,973 Buedingen Feb. 26, 1901 1,889,139 Bebie Nov. 29, 1932 1,965,651 Kelley July 10, 1934 1,987,990 Clinton Jan. 15, 1935 2,083,096 Rutkowski June 8, 1937 2,359,603 Atwood Oct. 3, 1944 

